Banjo for Dummies: Book + Online Video and Audio Instruction - Paperback

by Bill Evans (Author)

Here's the quick way to get pickin' with the best of 'em

The banjo is both a staple of old-time music and an instrument that makes frequent cameos in today's chart toppers. Whatever your musical leanings, Banjo For Dummies will show you how to pick your way around your instrument, even if you have zero musical background! With a little practice--and the easy-to-follow instructions in this book--you can learn your way around the banjo, try out various musical styles, and discover what banjo culture is all about.

Think of this For Dummies guide as your personal banjo tutor, as you learn how to buy, tune, hold, play, and have fun with your five-string. You can also go beyond the book with online video lessons and audio files that will get you picking even faster. Follow the guidance of respected banjo performer Bill Evans and soon you may find yourself jamming with a band or rubbing elbows with the pros at your local bluegrass festival.

• Learn the basics of banjo: how to strum chords, pick notes, and read tablature
• Add new styles to your repertoire, including clawhammer, three-finger styles, vamping, and classic banjo
• Play bluegrass music and learn how to network at festivals
• Choose the banjo and accessories that work for you, and discover how to keep them in good shape

Banjo For Dummies is for anyone who want to learn to play the five-string banjo or brush up on banjo-playing skills. No experience required!

Front Jacket

• Start from scratch on the five-string banjo
• Learn how to make your right and left hands work together
• Explore bluegrass and old-time banjo styles

Join the banjo revolution!

Thanks to its prevalence in folk and bluegrass, the banjo is almost the very essence of Americana. And now a new generation of musicians from the country, pop, and jazz worlds have made the sound of the banjo new again. This book is for anyone who wants to pay their respects to tradition as well as those who want to create the next chart-topper ... or both! Packed with the essentials you need to know--from top techniques to choosing the right instrument--you'll learn, and be able to show off, just why the banjo is never out of style!

Inside...

• Tackle the basics with chords and simple picking patterns
• Explore historic, traditional, and modern styles
• Get connected with the banjo world
• Go beyond the book with online lessons

Author Biography

Bill Evans is an internationally celebrated five-string banjo player, teacher, historian, and recording artist, who has helped thousands of banjo players globally get the most out of their instruments. He's also performed throughout the world and his CDs have topped both folk and bluegrass charts.